From November 3rd to November 7th, 2017, WorldSkills Russia Hi-Tech Competition co-organized by Russian YouthFederation of WorldSkills, Regional Government of Sverdlovsk Region, Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade and Strategic Initiative Institute was held in Yekaterinburg, Russia. More than 300 competitors from Russia, China, Germany, South Africa, Switzerland, South Korea, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and other countries participated in 28 competitions including Mechatronics, Welding, CNC Turning, CNC Milling, Mechanical Engineering Design - CAD, IT network system management, installation of aircraft electrical equipment, operation of cable lines, laser technology andoperation of unmanned aerial vehicles, etc.Dr. Liu Zhenying, Chairman of BRICS Business Council SDWG andChairman of Beijing ARC Xinxing Science and Technology Co., Ltd. led the CNPC Team to take part in the competition on behalf of China. After three days of hard work, Zang Lihuan won the first place in the welding competition.

During the same period, Russian High-Tech Forum - Eurasia WorldSkills Industrial Council meeting was held at the Yekaterinburg International Exhibition Center. Mr.Simon Bartley, Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the WorldSkills International Competition attended the meetingand delivered a speech. Dr. Liu Zhenying was invited to attend the meeting and delivered a report on International Alliance of Skills Development (IASDBR). IASDBR is an international communication platform for technical exchanges, talentflow，standards coordination, skills training and certification in different Countries around the world. It aims to promote the development of education, skills, training, certification, and occupational skills standards in different Countries around the world, to integrate skills development resources such as education, capital, projects, manpower, information, services in different countries, to cultivate international highly technical and skilled professionals, and to promote infrastructure construction and global industrialization development process in different Countries. During the meeting, Dr. Liu Zhenying also introduced2018 Skills Development & Technology Innovation Competition for BRICS and Belt&Road Countries and Arc Cup International Welding Competition,as well as displayed relevant videos.

During the competition, Memorandum of Understanding on WorldSkills Developmentwere signed between China Section of BRICS Business Council SDWG and Russia Section of BRICS Business Council SDWG for further deepening the skill development and cooperation between the two sides. The MoU clarifies the scope of cooperation between the two sides includingbutnotlimitedto jointly realizing the harmonization of vocational education standards, to carrying out skill training, to promoting interconnectivity, international cooperation, human capital and skills development cooperation under Belt and Road Initiative, and to jointly launching2018 Eurasian High-Tech Competition.

Beijing ARC Xinxing Science & Technology Co., Ltd. is a leading enterprise in Chinese hard-facing industry, national high-tech enterprise, and Zhongguancun innovative enterprise. The business of Beijing ARC Company covers overlaying and remanufacturing of wear parts, additive manufacturing, wear-resistant welding wire, automatic overlaying equipment, automatic welding equipment, digital welding machine manufacturing, and robot system integration, etc. Beijing ARC Company occupies an international advanced position in the fields of wear-resistant materials, digital welding machine, overlaying equipment and hardfacing overlaying service. Since 2008, as the originator and organizer, Beijing ARC Company organized a series of “Arc Cup” international welding competition and exchange activities, which has been the important event and exchange activity among international welding field. As the opening event of 2017 BRICS Skills Development & Technology Innovation Competition and one of the important activities of China Section of BRICS Business Council during its presidency of BRICS countries, IIW·CWS·Arc Cup 2017 International Welding Competition got full support from the International Institute of Welding and won the recognition of the international welding industry. International Alliance of Skills Development (IASDBR) is one of the major achievements of the BRICS Business Council during China presidency of the BRICS countries which were formally announced to be set up on June 24th, 2017 in Shanghai.